tattletale

Meaning

1. 1nouncountableinformaldisapprovingchild language

   Someone, usually a child, who tells an adult or an authority about another person's small misdeeds.

   Grammar: Countable and used as an insult among children: don't be such a tattletale.

   Patterns

   • a tattletale about something

   Nobody wanted to sit next to the tattletale who told the teacher about the gum.

   Don't be a tattletale; it was only a small mistake.

   My little brother is a tattletale and reports everything to my parents.

Word forms

Common combinations

a tattletale

Everyone called her a tattletale after she reported the prank.

call someone a tattletale

The other kids called him a tattletale for reporting the broken window.

don't be a tattletale

Don't be a tattletale; solve it between yourselves.

such a tattletale

She is such a tattletale that nobody tells her secrets.

the class tattletale

The class tattletale had already told the teacher.

Synonyms and how they differ

snitch

Snitch is stronger and can be used about adults who inform on others to authorities, while tattletale is milder and mostly about children.

telltale

Telltale is mainly an adjective for revealing signs, whereas tattletale is a noun for a person.

informer

Informer is a serious word for someone who gives information to police, with none of the childish tone of tattletale.

sneak

Sneak is a British schoolchild term for someone who tells on others, and it suggests secretive behavior.

Word family

tattle verb

to report on someone's minor wrongdoing

tattler noun

a person who tattles

tell tales verb

the British phrase for the same idea of telling on someone

tattling noun

the act of reporting small misdeeds

Commonly confused: tattletale or telltale?

Practice

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